The Jacksonville TEOSA is needing some volunteers to fill out their January calendar. Jacksonville Police Chaplain, Alan Bradish, says that the overnight shelter has been serving between 5-8 people per night since opening this month.
Bradish says he will have two training opportunities this week to help fill out the January schedule: “We’ve got about half of our positions full, so we’re going to have another couple of trainings this week. We’re going to have a training on Thursday morning, the 31st, that will be the last day of the month, from 9-11 at the TEOSA at 948 North Main. We’ll have a second training on Saturday, January 2nd from 1-3. We’ve got a morning training and an afternoon training, one a weekday, one a weekend, so hopefully, we’ll be able to get enough volunteers to fill out a January calendar.”
Bradish says that the shelter will remain open through at least March. He hopes that the city will re-evaluate a permanent option. He says that there are hopes that New Directions may reopen next year and take back on the responsibility of taking care of the city’s homeless population.
Bradish says the other current need is evening meals: “This week, during the holidays, is a bit rough, so if there would be someone or an agency or a group or an individual that would want to cater a meal, and evening meal. We are short on evening meals this week because of the traditional feeding programs here in the community are not going to be functioning during this week or over the holidays. The soup kitchen is closed this week, and then the Salvation Army will be closed New Years Days.”
If you are interested in volunteering or donating an evening meal, contact Bradish at (217) 719-9358 or via email at jpdchaplain@gmail.com.